A wealth of the UAE's biggest sports stars and personalities will attend this month's Laureus World Sports Awards, to celebrate the country's top-class sporting credentials, and to support the impressive cache of international sports names, who will be flying in to Abu Dhabi for the televised awards ceremony tomorrow.

Expected to walk the red carpet at Emirates Palace Hotel for the awards – which recognise sporting achievement during the period January 1 to December 31, 2009 – and are recognised as the premier honours on the international sporting calendar will be influential figures from the worlds of athletics, football, equestrianism, snooker, cycling and more.

Edwin Moses, Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy and double Olympic gold medallist, said: "To have such strong support from the UAE sporting fraternity is great, both locally and in the Arab World. The region has made impressive strides to establish itself as a leading sport destination over the past few decades, and, with the continuing grassroot development of its youth, we hope to see increased participation from Arab sportsmen and women, both as ambassadors for Laureus and hopefully as winners of the awards."

Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktourm, Chairman of the UAE Olympic Committee, will line-up with football hero Ismail Matar, who led the UAE to Gulf Cup win.

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